Easy, affordable and healthy eating tips for families

Families often juggle busy schedules, work, school and childcare, making it difficult to plan healthy meals every day. At the same time, rising food prices can make nutritious choices feel more challenging.

The good news is that healthy eating does not have to be expensive or time-consuming. With a little planning and a few simple habits, you can provide your family with a varied, nutritious diet that supports children's growth and development while helping them build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

5 healthy eating tips 

1. Keep up fruit and vegetable intake

Finding time to shop for and prepare fresh fruit and vegetables can sometimes be challenging. Whenever possible, include a variety of fresh produce in your family's meals, as they provide important vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Whenever it is possible to get hold of fresh produce, do so. As well as being eaten fresh, fruits and vegetables can be frozen where possible and will retain most of their nutrients and flavor. Using fresh vegetables to cook large batches of soups, stews or other dishes will make them last longer and provide meal options for a few days. These can also be frozen where possible and then quickly reheated.

2. Swap in healthy dried or canned alternatives when fresh produce is not available

Fresh produce is almost always the best option, but when it is out of season, less affordable or not readily available, nutritious dried, frozen and canned alternatives can be a practical choice.

Canned beans and chickpeas, which provide an abundance of nutrients, can be stored for months or even years, and can be included in meals in many ways. Canned oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon are rich in protein, omega 3 fatty acids and a range of vitamins and minerals. These can be used cold in sandwiches, salads or pasta dishes, or cooked as part of a warm meal.

Canned vegetables, such as tomatoes, do tend to contain lower quantities of vitamins than fresh produce, but they are a great fallback option when fresh produce or frozen vegetables are hard to come by. 
 
Dried goods like dried beans, pulses and grains such as lentils, split peas, rice, couscous or quinoa are also nutritious, long-lasting options that are tasty, affordable and filling. Rolled oats cooked with milk or water can serve as an excellent breakfast option, and can be spiced up with yoghurt, chopped fruits or raisins. 

3. Build up a stock of healthy snacks

Children often need to eat a snack or two during the day to keep them going. Rather than giving kids sweets or salty snacks, opt for healthier options like nuts, cheese, yoghurt (preferably unsweetened), chopped or dried fruits, boiled eggs, or other locally available healthy options. These foods are nutritious, more filling, and help build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. 

4. Limit highly processed foods 

While using fresh produce may not always be possible, try to limit the amount of highly processed foods in your shopping basket. Ready-to-eat meals, packaged snacks and desserts are often high in saturated fat, sugars and salt. If you do purchase processed foods, look at the label and try to choose healthier options containing less of these substances. Try to also avoid sugary drinks and instead drink lots of water. Adding fruits or vegetables like lemon, lime, cucumber slices or berries to water is a great way to add an extra twist of flavor.

5. Make cooking and eating a fun and meaningful part of your family routine

Cooking and eating together is a great way to create healthy routines, strengthen family bonds and have fun. Wherever you can, involve your children in food preparation – small children can help with washing or sorting food items while older children can take on more complex tasks and help to set the table. 
 
Try as much as possible to stick to fixed mealtimes as a family. Regular family meals can help children develop healthy eating habits, strengthen family relationships and provide opportunities to connect and talk about the day.

Food hygiene tips 

Good food hygiene helps protect your family from food-borne illnesses and should be part of everyday food preparation. Safe food handling, storage and cooking practices help keep meals healthy and reduce the risk of contamination.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing food and before eating.
• Wash fresh fruit and vegetables under clean running water before eating or cooking them.
• Use separate chopping boards and utensils for raw meat, poultry and fish.
• Cook foods thoroughly to the recommended internal temperature.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly and follow expiry or use-by dates.
• Store raw and cooked foods separately to avoid cross-contamination.
• Keep kitchen surfaces, utensils and food preparation areas clean.
• Dispose of food waste safely and recycle packaging where possible.